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Swiss ski resorts may have opened particularly early this year, but the past month was one of the mildest Novembers since records began in the 19th century, according to meteorologists.

Over the month, temperatures were 0.5 to 0.7 of a degree warmer than the average, said MeteoSuisse in a statement.

In some places, such as Altdorf in the canton of Uri and Meiringen in the Bernese Oberland, temperatures were 2.5 degrees higher than normal, making it one of the warmest Novembers on record.

That was mainly due to the warm foehn wind that dominated the weather in the second half of the month, said MeteoSuisse.

However it was a month of two halves, with a cold front bringing snow to the country’s alpine resorts in the first fortnight of November.

In Crans-Montana in the Valais, 51cms of snow fell in 24 hours, said MeteoSuisse.

“Towards mid-November the mountains were covered with a thick coating of snow. But a few days later temperatures in the valleys of the northern Alps climbed over 20 degrees with a persistent foehn,” it said.

The foehn ended on November 25th, and was followed by a strong bise wind and lower temperatures.

Several of Switzerland’s ski resorts opened limited slopes in mid-November, including Verbier, Laax and Crans-Montana.